Collapsible megaphone signalling device



A ril 30, 1957 c. R. HOOE 2,790,504

COLLAPSIBLE MEGAPHONE SIGNALLING DEVICE Filed March 26, 1954 CHARLES R.H 00E INVENTOR.

n'roaugv United States Patent C COLLAPSIBLE MEGAPHONE SIGNALLING DEVICE Charles R. Hooe, Severna Park, Md.

Application March 26, 1954, Serial No. 419,021

3 Claims. (Cl. 181-27) This invention relates to horns and other signal devices used aboard sailing and motor crafts for signalling from one craft to another as required by regulations covering the operation of boats.

Under present regulations it is necessary to have a signal whistle, and fog horn, and many boats have a megaphone for talking back and forth between the boats while in operation.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a collapsible horn, which, when collapsed will occupy a very small space and will be readily carried by a handle provided and an additional handle for holding. In carrying out my invention 1 make the horn in sections which telescope one within the other. The sections are preferably frusto-conical in shape and have a progressively varying size from one end of the horn to the other, so that when extended they make a horn having a generally conical shape.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a new and improved collapsible combination megaphone, fog horn and whistle to be used in signalling boats.

Other objects will become apparent as the invention is more fully set forth.

For a better understanding of the invention and its objects, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which in conjunction with the following description outline a particular form of the invention by way of example while the claims emphasize the scope thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a combined megaphone and boat signalling device embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1, with parts broken away to show the inner construction; and

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the megaphone signalling device in collapsed form.

Similar reference characters relate to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In the drawings the sections of the megaphone are designated by 10, 11 and 12 respectively, and in this form of the invention are frusto-conical in shape and have a progressively varying diameter from one end of the born to the other. The exterior diameter of each section at the larger end is slightly greater than the in terior diameter of the next larger section at its smaller end, so that each section is prevented from being pulled off from the larger end of the next smaller section, This is illustrated in Figure 2 where the horn is partly broken out to show the lower end of section fitting within and slightly larger than the upper end of section 11, and the lower end of section 11 fitting within and slightly larger than the upper end of section 12. Each section is of such a size and has such a taper that the next smaller section can be telescoped within it so that the entire megaphone horn may be closed together and all the sections contained within the larger section 12, as seen in Figure 3. The megaphone horn may be made with any number of sections desired. When extended as shown in Figure 2, the various sections are held extended by their frictional engagement with each other. One of the advantages of the construction is that a comparatively large megaphone horn can be collapsed and inclosed within the lower section 12. A carrying handle 13 is pivotally connected to the section 12 for carrying the megaphone when collapsed. In the collapsed form, the sections 10 and 11 rest on a wire grill 14 mounted in supports 15 aflixed to the inner wall of section 12. To remove the grill it is bowed down at the center until its ends become disengaged from the supports 15, while to replace the grill the operation is reversed. In the mouthpiece formed in section iii is positioned a fog horn of conventional design comprising a member 16 secured to part of the inner surface or" said section 10 below the smaller end thereof and forming with said part a substantially truncated cone extending into the interior of said section, a reed 17 supported by the upper end of said member 16, tube 18 and mouthpiece 19. A signal Whistle 20 is preferably positioned opposite the fog horn in the mouthpiece so the unobstructed space between the fog horn and whistle can be used for speaking purposes and magnification of the voice or whistle or horn sounds. The whistle is of standard construction and comprises a tube 21, air and signal escape hole 22 and mouthpiece 23. A handle 24 is affixed to section 11 and is used to hold the megaphone when talking or signalling. If desired, the whistle may be made up of a set of tubes similar to the tube 21.

While but one general form of the invention is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, it is not desired to limit this application for patent to this particular form as it is appreciated that other forms of construction could be made that would use the same principles and come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A device of the class described: said device com.- prising a frusto-conical element diverging from the smaller end thereof to the opposite end; a member secured to part of the inner surface of said element and forming with said part a truncated cone-like portion of the device extending into the interior of said element; a reed supported by the upper edge of said member; a mouthpiece surrounding said reed and projecting outwardly of said element beyond said smaller end; and a whistle carried by said element and having a mouthpiece projecting from said element beyond said smalier end; the arrangement of the elements in said frusto-conical element providing means whereby said device may be selectively used as a fog horn, a signal or a megaphone.

2. A device of the type set forth in claim 1 in which said frusto-conical element is connected to a larger frustoconical element to be telescopically received therein.

3. A device of the type recited in claim 2 in which said frusto-conical el ments form parts of a series of frusto-conical elements adapted to be telescoped one within another and the largest of said elements has secured in the larger end thereof a wire grill adapted to support the elements telescoped within the largest element without impeding the transmission of sounds from the smaller end of the smallest element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 80,557 Miller -c Aug. 4, 1868 239,613 Langrehr Apr. 5, 1881 259,782 Toppel June 20, 1882 987,038 Berrenberg Mar. 14, 1911 1,197,064 Roikjier Sept. 5, 1916 1,504,170 Weins Aug. 5, 1924 1,541,122 Dodge et al June 9, 1925 

